Green Bay Packers fans and fantasy football owners are anxiously awaiting the news as to when Aaron Rodgers will be back this season and if there is an official return date for the injured All-Pro quarterback.

Rodgers was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 20 and is not eligible to play until Dec. 17 against the Carolina Panthers. That will be the semi-finals of most fantasy football leagues.

“It will [come down] to the bone healing,” Rodgers said of his injured collarbone to NFL.com. “But there is a timetable. I believe I can practice in six weeks based on the schedule. So if I’m at a place at that point healing-wose and able to throw then I’ll be out here. And if I’m not, I won’t.”

Six weeks from this past Friday when Rodgers made the comments is Friday Dec. 15 – two days before the Panthers game. The Packers are currently 4-3 and in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Lucikly for Green Bay fans, the Pack have a relatively easy schedule through mid-December as they’ll only face one team that is currently above .500 (at Steelers on Nov. 26). It’s a safe bet that the Packers will at least still be mathematically alive on Dec. 17 against the Panthers.

It would be a mighty quick turnaround for Rodgers to practice for the first time on that Friday and then play on Sunday against Carolina, so a lot of it will depend on how desperate Green Bay is at the time.

Expect Rodgers to play on Saturday, Dec. 23 at home against Minnesota (championship week in most fantasy football leagues) if the Packers are still alive for a playoff spot. Rodgers is at least worth keeping on roster in non-keeper leagues in hopes that he could lead you to a championship week win. Of course, the big hurdle is getting there without him.